I Want to Come Over
by fancynewwhatevr
Summary: "Hey, listen, you don't have to be strong for anyone, okay? Especially not me. You don't ever have to pretend to be anything for me." A nearly tragic event triggers an onslaught of emotion from Jane and Maura as hidden feelings rise to the surface. Takes place mid-season 5.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is the first story I've published in YEARS. I've been happily lurking in the archives and and writing off and on, but it's so rare that I actually finish one of my fics. This fic will be three chapters long. They're already complete but still need to be proofread, so I'll be posting a chapter a day. I hope you guys enjoy! :)_

* * *

 _I ruined everything._

Jane sat motionless in her car, eyes glued to the white, two-story home that stood three houses down. The same home she had been in less than two hours prior. The lights were still on. Jane glanced at her radio clock.

12:10 AM.

12:10 AM and the lights were still on.

He had left a few minutes ago. She'd watched intently as the front door creaked open, the first sign of life since she'd parked outside. They didn't kiss goodbye. Their goodbye seemed cordial, like two colleagues saying goodnight, if that. No hug, no kiss, just a tight-lipped smile from both parties that appeared forced and awkward. A partial wave from him, and then he was gone, and the door closed.

Maura was still clad in the same peach swing tank and beige slim-fit cotton pants from earlier. They smelled like cinnamon and fall. She knew, because her own clothes still smelled as if they'd been doused in Maura Isles. It was better than any perfume imaginable.

Jane's hand rose to caress the spot on her neck that still burned from the imprint of her best friend's soft, delicate lips. She wondered what they would feel like trailing down her collar bone, her chest, her stomach...

She needed to feel Maura. The dam they'd built had been torn down. Any irreparable damage had already been done. She had nothing to lose. She would never forgive herself if she didn't find out, just once, what the smaller woman felt like in her arms, even if it was the first and last time.

* * *

The blaring sun was beating down on the suburban neighborhood as a K9 police vehicle came to a stop outside a yellow, single-story home. The three detectives gathered in the lawn quickly maneuvered to the newly present vehicle.

A middle-aged officer with greying hair and a small beer gut stepped out of the driver's side door. The curly haired brunette was the first to make her way around the vehicle, extending a hand toward the burly man.

"Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli," she introduced herself as he shook her firm grip. "This here's Detective Frankie Rizzoli and Lieutenant Korsak," she continued, nodding toward her brother and friend. "Thanks for coming out."

"You've got it," the officer nodded. "I'm Officer Wilkins. That there's my partner, Bo," he pointed toward his vehicle at the brown and black spotted German Shepherd waiting patiently in the backseat. "What are we dealing with here?"

"We were called out here a couple days ago to investigate a homicide. A landscaper hired by the neighborhood caught sight of a severed hand hidden in a bush while he was trimming the hedges. We found the rest of the body chopped into pieces and hidden around the property. This morning, our medical examiner found that the DNA in one of the calves wasn't consistent with the rest of the body parts, which means we're dealing with two victims here. Basically, our murderer's messing with us. Leaving us just enough clues to stay in control. We're back today hoping to retrieve the remainder of both bodies, or at least some indication of where we might find them. The rest of the bodies could be anywhere. Hidden, buried… That's where your partner comes in."

The duress of the case was apparent on all three detective's features. Sleep had been minimal since they'd been called to the scene two days before. With very few clues to go on, they'd been searching high and low for a lead. Maura's discovery that morning was the closest they'd come to a break in their case thus far.

"Sounds like a rough couple of days," Officer Wilkins stated, opening the back door and motioning for Bo to join them in the street.

"We've got our medical examiner, Doctor Maura Isles, inside right now, sweeping for any blood traces we may have missed a couple days ago," Vince Korsak informed Officer Wilkins.

"Great. We'll see if Bo's sniffer can find anything us humans couldn't."

Officer Wilkins gave Bo the command to begin searching, and the dog was immediately off on his diligent quest. The detectives waited on the sidewalk as they watched the officer and his partner work.

"Beautiful dog," Korsak commented to his colleagues.

"Yeah," Frankie agreed. "Let's hope he's as smart as he is pretty."

"He will be. These guys, they take their training very seriously. I had the opportunity to work with a few K9s back in my days on the force. Some of the sweetest, most obedient little guys you'll ever meet. Better at their job than most humans, I'd say."

"And they're not even working for a paycheck," Jane joked.

The three detectives watched as Bo sniffed his way through the front yard, making his way to the entrance of the house once the yard was sufficiently surveyed. The German Shepherd stopped just short of the hedges near the front door. He hesitated, sniffing. Jane glanced at Officer Wilkins, whose brows furrowed. Bo wagged his tail suddenly and pawed erratically at the grass under his feet.

"Shit…" Officer Wilkins breathed to himself. He maneuvered quickly back to his vehicle where the detectives still stood. "Bo!" he called, and the dog returned to his partner immediately, taking a seat at his feet.

"Did he find something?" Jane asked.

"Yeah."

"We swept the entire perimeter of the house. There's no way we could have missed a body part there. It's gotta be buried."

"He didn't find a body part… He found a bomb."

"A bomb?" Jane's heartbeat sped instantly. "Maura's in there!" She took a step forward, but Officer Wilkins grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"You can't go in there, Detective. The fact that it hasn't been detonated yet suggests it's on a trigger mechanism, possibly victim-operated. That means if you take one wrong step over there, you could get yourself killed."

Jane whipped around, glaring daggers at the officer as she yanked her arm free. "Well, what the hell do we do then? Our medical examiner's in there; we have to get her out!"

"If it is on a trigger mechanism, the switch can't be far from where Bo caught the scent. Your medical examiner won't set it off in there."

"Okay, and where's the bomb?"

"It's likely in the bushes near the front door."

"And the switch?" Jane spat impatiently.

"It could be anywhere in the surrounding proximity, Detective! Have you noticed anything different from the last time you were here?"

All three detectives scattered their brains for any inconsistencies. Jane closed her eyes as she thought, willing her shaking body to relax as she breathed deeply. There was a long moment of silence.

"The doormat!" Jane exclaimed finally, eyes shooting open. "That wasn't here the other day!"

"Are you sure?" Officer Wilkins questioned.

"Yeah, I don't remember it either," Frankie chimed in, and Korsak nodded in agreement.

"Okay. It could be a pressure mat disguised as a doormat. It's incredible no one has stepped on it already. It could be on a delay, but bombs on a timer usually detonate in a matter of seconds."

"Doctor Isles entered through the back door. We were sweeping the back porch for blood traces. No one else has been inside yet today," Korsak informed the officer.

"So, what do we do now?" Jane asked, still on edge.

"We need to get a bomb squad out here. Until then, we'll need to get Doctor Isles out of the vicinity immediately. Detective Rizzoli, you should be safe to enter through the back door. Just be cautious."

Jane nodded. Her heart rate began to steady, but she would not be relieved until her best friend was out of harm's way. She began moving toward the lawn, but the distant sound of a door swinging open alerted all four heads in unison.

It happened so quickly.

The front door swung open and Maura Isles emerged from the door frame, stepping directly onto the front porch mat. None of the four witnesses had time to react as she stepped off the doormat just as quickly as she'd stepped on. She felt the distinct click under her right foot and stopped dead in her tracks as she took notice of the horrified expressions her colleagues wore. Her lightning speed cerebral cortex could process the situation in less than a second, but it was already too late. She stood in place, glued to the spot.

Jane's entire world slowed to half-speed.

 _One second._

Nothing. No explosion. Maura stood stock-still, face flushed with terror and confusion. The bomb must be on a timer…

 _Bombs on a timer usually detonate in a matter of seconds._ Wilkins words replayed in Jane's mind. There was no time to waste.

 _Two seconds._

Jane took off in a sprint towards the front of the house.

 _Three seconds._

"Janie!" Frankie called out in terror after his sister, but she didn't falter.

 _Four seconds._

Jane swept Maura off the ground in one swift motion. Her briefcase thudded to the concrete. Maura's legs were draped over one of the detective's arms, her other arm tucking around the doctor's back.

 _Five_ seconds _._

Without a moment's hesitation, Jane was running in the opposite direction of the house. She watched her colleagues as they flew to the ground in the middle of the street, arms draping over the backs of their heads protectively.

 _Six seconds._

Her foot had barely reached the sidewalk when it happened. A beaming light flashed behind her. She felt the explosion in milliseconds. A sweltering wave swept through her body as a blaring force propelled her forward, feet away from where she'd been standing, and then down toward the concrete. Maura still in her arms, she wrapped a hand around the woman's head to soften the impact as they crashed into the hard, stony ground. She used her entire body to shield Maura's small frame from any fragmentation.

She was sure she was crying out in pain, but she couldn't hear it. In fact, she hadn't even heard the explosion. The only sound that filled her ears was a high-pitched screech. The pressure in her ear drums was so strong, she thought they might explode.

The world around her was motionless. The initial blast and shockwaves were over, leaving an eerie stillness in their wake. Her body was numb. She surveyed the effects of the impact, ensuring all her limbs were still attached and mobile.

Arms; check. Legs; check. Everything seemed to be in working order. She shifted her head and was tickled by the soft, wavy locks tucked under her cheek.

 _Maura._

Jane shuffled to her knees erratically. Maura's body was still beneath hers. Her eyes were closed and she looked almost... peaceful?

Jane placed two fingers on Maura's neck. There was a pulse. She was alive.

Jane was yelling now. She could feel the strain on her vocal chords as she screamed her best friend's name again and again, but it was pointless. If she couldn't hear a damn thing, she knew Maura couldn't either. The detective stared helplessly at Maura's unconscious form.

 _Please please please._

As if Jane had willed it herself, Maura's hazel eyes fluttered open, and Jane released a giant sigh of relief. Confusion washed over the M.E.'s features. She immediately attempted to sit up, but Jane held her down with a gentle palm, shaking her head. She stripped her blue blazer from her shoulders and balled it into a small mound, placing it carefully behind the doctor's head. One hand grasped Maura's, giving it a reassuring squeeze, as the other hand rose to caress the doctor's cheek.

"Jane," she could see Maura mouthing her name, though she still couldn't hear over the blaring ringing in her ears.

"Shh, it's okay, Maura. It's okay," she mouthed back. Her thumb caressed Maura's cheek with comforting strokes as her eyes bore vehemently into the smaller woman's.

 _She's okay.  
_

 _Thank God she's okay._

* * *

 _A/N: Okay, so I'm not entirely sure that the bomb I described in this chapter could actually exist in real life, but hey, it's all fiction anyway, right? ;) Reviews are so appreciated!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, or even just read the last chapter! I hope you guys enjoy this one._

* * *

"Are we almost finished here?"

Jane sat impatiently on the back end of an ambulance, her feet dangling over the edge. Her hearing had mostly returned, though there was still an incessant ringing in the background of her thoughts, dulling the outside world around her.

"You really should stay seated, ma'am," the young EMT tending to her wounds stated. "You suffered a very traumatic fall in the explosion. Your body needs to rest."

He finished his current task at hand, securing a bandage he'd been wrapping around a large skid mark on Jane's forearm.

"I just need to get from here," Jane pointed to where she was seated, "to there," she motioned toward another ambulance 10 yards away where she'd spotted the honey blonde locks of her friend being escorted into the back of the vehicle earlier. "I think I can handle that."

She hopped to her feet.

"Ma'am, that patient is still being treated right now," the young man tried to protest, but was helpless to stop the detective from seeing her friend.

Jane stopped just short of jumping into the open ambulance. Maura was sitting on the edge of a gurney, staring somberly around the confined vehicle. Her right index fingertip was hooked up to a pulse oximeter, and both elbows were wrapped in thick, white bandages. Although Jane had shielded her head in the fall, Maura's body had still taken the brunt of the impact when they hit the concrete. Streaks of debris stained her cheeks and arms, and her baby blue dress – no doubt from a designer line like Prada or Chanel or Oscar De La What's-His-Face – had certainly seen better days. Threads of the dress were visibly frayed down her sides and back, and small blood stains from the wounds on her arms contrasted harshly against the blue garb. Jane was sure she looked just as battered as the medical examiner.

Seeing her friend now, damaged and beaten from the earlier events, made Jane want to scoop her up in her arms once again, rock her back and forth, and ensure her that everything would be okay. She wanted to shower her in reassuring kisses and hold her until that uneasy expression plastered to her face faded into one of serenity. The practical side of her brain reminded her how much worse it could have been. Some bandages and a few days of discomfort should be the least of her worries.

 _Thank God she's okay._

Jane was unable to process how close she'd come to losing her best friend. She couldn't imagine how different things would be if she hadn't been close enough to reach her, or if the bomb hadn't been on a delay. Maura meant the world to her. Enough so that she was willing to risk her entire world to save her. Losing Maura would be worse than losing her own life. The mental torment she'd suffer, wondering what could have been, would eat her alive. Wondering every day what it would have been like to hold her, to kiss her. If only she wasn't such a coward, she might already know.

The gravelly voice of the grey haired EMT occupying the ambulance pulled Jane from her dark reverie.

"Well, doctor, all your vitals are looking good... and it looks like you have a visitor," he commented, nodding toward the ambulance door.

Maura's head turned toward the open backend of the ambulance.

"Jane," she whispered as the detective offered an affectionate smile.

"How are you feeling?" Jane asked softly.

Maura shrugged. "I could be worse."

"Well, if it's any consolation, you still look more chic than most women will in their entire lives," Jane chuckled, raising her eyebrows humorously.

Her comment elicited a small smile from the medical examiner.

"Thank you, Jane. How do you feel?"

"Like I just got blown up. Fucking bastard... I can't wait to find this guy and personally escort his ass to prison."

"That might not be as soon as you'd like. I lost my briefcase in the explosion..." The same troubled expression washed over Maura's features again as she hung her head in disappointment.

"Hey, hey..." Jane began, hopping into the back of the vehicle without permission. She kneeled in front of the doctor, taking both small hands in her own. "Don't worry about that. We're going to catch this guy. All you need to worry about right now is healing up. Are you in pain?"

"There's a dull pounding in my occipital region. I don't remember the fall; I fainted due to syncope some time before that. The last thing I remember is you picking me up, and then we were on the concrete."

"Good. I don't want you to have to remember that. That shit hurt."

"It could have hurt a lot worse," a new voice joined the conversation. Both women glanced over to find Lieutenant Cavanaugh coming to a stop outside of the ambulance. Neither women had noticed him arrive at the scene. Korsak and Frankie appeared behind him a moment later. "Bomb squad just confirmed it was a standard, homemade pipe bomb. They think the timer was set to give the victim time to enter the house, where they wouldn't be able to escape the explosion. They assumed the bomb would be triggered upon entering the home, and apparently never considered the inverse. Luckily, or you two wouldn't be sitting here right now."

"Jane would have been far enough away to survive the impact," Maura corrected. "I'm the fortunate one."

Jane stared gravely into Maura's eyes.

"We're both lucky," she stated, and the solemnity in her tone sent a shiver up the doctor's spine.

"Okay, ladies," Cavanaugh interrupted, "the bomb squad will be over in a few minutes to debrief you. Assuming you're cleared by the EMTs, I'll see you both in the morning." He turned his attention to Jane, who was now sitting on the edge on the ambulance, facing her colleagues. "Try not to throw yourself into any more near-death situations between now and then, would you? You did a foolish thing back there, Rizzoli."

"Yeah," Frankie added, "you look like shit. Ma's going to lose it when she hears what happened."

Jane sneered. "I think she'll forgive me when she finds out I was saving her second daughter. She's always liked Maura better anyway."

Frankie guffawed. "Well, that's true. Get ready for some waterworks, ladies," he said to Jane and Maura, smirking.

"Oh, no. I will be avoiding Ma like the plague until she has time to calm down. This is not my first rodeo."

"Good luck with that," Frankie chuckled. "You'll be seeing a lot of her at dinner tonight."

Dinner. She had completely forgotten about their plans for the evening prior to the chaos.

"You really think Maura's still thinking about hosting dinner tonight for a bunch of us slobs? She almost got blown up an hour ago!"

"Actually," Maura chimed in, "dinner might serve as a nice distraction from the day. Plus, Jack was so looking forward to meeting the rest of your family."

Frankie shot his sister his best _I-told-you-so_ glance. She glared at him.

"Fine. Dinner at seven then. But you are not cooking _or_ cleaning, Maura! I'll text Ma and have her whip something up."

* * *

Maura sat pensively at her kitchen counter, gaze fixed on the backyard window that had quickly faded to darkness in the last hour. After dinner, Maura had attempted to tidy up and wash the dishes, but she had been promptly shooed out of the kitchen by Jane.

" _Maura, I specifically told you no cleaning if we kept our dinner plans tonight," she hissed at the smaller woman, physically removing her from the kitchen._

Now she sat alone at the marble island counter with nothing to distract her from her own musings. The Rizzoli clan had gathered in the living room to catch the last few innings of the Red Sox game, and Jack, ever the gentleman, had nobly stepped in to clean up the kitchen after Maura had been banished. Her gaze drifted to the burly man whose back was facing her.

 _Jack_.

He was always the first to step in and help a person in need. Always doing whatever he could to make Maura feel happy and comfortable, whether that meant cleaning up after a group of her dearest, sloppiest friends he had just met, or driving halfway across town in the middle of the night because her hot water wasn't working. He was everything she had hoped to find in a man. Kind, sweet, funny, intelligent, strong. She had finally found a man who would move mountains for her, rather than bringing his own climbing gear and leaving her in the dust to find her own way across.

Why, then, did the thought of him illicit a visceral, lurching dread in the pit of her stomach? It felt like someone was boiling a dark, viscous brew of guilt and fear and anxiety deep in her esophagus. If she had finally met the man of her dreams, why wasn't she happy?

Because something was missing.

When he touched her with his large, calloused fingers, she imagined how they would feel if they were thin and narrow. When she ran her fingers through his short, choppy hair, she wished it was thick and long and curly. She wanted to trade his rough lips for a certain pair of soft ones. She wanted to know what it would feel like, just once, to run her tongue across that long, taut neck. To take that supple bottom lip between her teeth and suck... She wanted Jane.

She wanted Jane Rizzoli in all her intractable glory. From the day she'd met the detective, she had been tortured by the fluid sway of her hips when she left a room. She was perpetually teased by the confident gait with which the woman carried herself. Her throaty laugh sent shivers down the doctor's spine, and one flash of her authentic Rizzoli grin was enough to make her swoon. Yet the detective carried on day after day, completely unaware of the affect she had on her best friend.

Jane had come into her life like a bulldozer and made her question everything she wanted in a life partner. She thought, perhaps, once she found someone who filled the criteria she searched for in a man, her constant desire for her wild-haired friend would subside. On the contrary, it only made her yearning worsen, and that terrified her. What if no other person could ever hold a candle to her affections for Jane?

Jane Rizzoli. Her beautiful, bullheaded, snarky, loyal, passionate Italian. The only person she was one hundred percent confident would put their own life at risk for her, because she had already done so multiple times. Maura's heart skipped a beat as she was reminded of earlier that day. Everything had happened so quickly. One moment she was on her way to grab another fingerprint collection kit out of her trunk, and the next moment she was being roughly swooped off the ground and blown into the concrete by a blinding, forceful blast of energy.

She could have died. So easily, she could have been blown into pieces of skin and organs and bone fragment. This was not her first brush with death, but the aftermath never became less eerie. Instead of spending the evening having dinner with the people closest to her, the remainder of her body could be on its way to the morgue to be cremated. But it wasn't. She was safe because Jane had risked her own demise to save her.

Normally, Maura would scold such a perilous act from Jane, but tonight it was difficult to feel anything other than tenderness and gratitude towards her foolish savior. She knew Jane would make the same decision ten more times if she had to. Jane would do anything for her, and Maura wouldn't think twice about doing the same for her. Her Jane...

The weight of the day and her concealed affections for the detective crashed down on her abruptly. Her heart beat quickened at an alarming rate and she felt a sting of tears forming in her eyes. She had to get out of the room immediately or risk causing a scene. She peered around the room for an exit strategy, her eyes settling quickly on the back door. Fresh air, that's what she needed.

She hurriedly hopped off the bar stool and soundlessly trekked her way to the back door. She hoped no one heard as she quietly opened the door and departed to her backyard.

The minute creak of a door swinging open caught the attention of the ever-alert detective on the living room couch. She averted her gaze from the television to glance around the room and caught the tail end of wavy blonde locks retreating through the back door.

Maura? It was unlike her to leave in the middle of her own function.

Jane rose from the couch without hesitation. Her family, whose eyes were glued to the last inning of the Red Sox game, didn't seem to notice as she made her way across the room to follow her petite friend outside.

The brisk night air swept across her face, a stark contrast to the warm, comfortable temperature she had been accustomed to inside. At first glance, the yard looked empty. Then, she heard a soft yelp to her left. Her head darted in the direction of the cry to find a small figure huddled on a wooden bench to the far left of the patio, barely visible in the drab moonlight. She watched her friend's shoulders heave up and down erratically. She was crying.

Jane rushed to her side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Maura's body jerked in surprise. She lifted her head and met Jane's gaze with her puffy, red eyes.

"I'm sorry, Maur, I didn't mean to scare you."

Maura only sniffled in response as another wave of tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.

"Oh, sweetie," Jane soothed, taking a seat next to her friend on the bench. "What's wrong?"

Maura buried her face in her palms as she let out another stifled sob. Her body was trembling and Jane was growing concerned. She had never seen her react this way to anything, even after their previous brushes with death. She drew small circles on the doctor's back.

"Breathe, Maur, okay? Just breathe. Everything's going to be okay. I'm here for you."

Jane's heart shattered into tiny, sharp fragments at the sight of her dearest friend in so much pain. She was behaving eerily similar to Jane when she'd awaken in the middle of the night with a sudden bout of panic. If anyone knew hysteria, it was Jane Rizzoli, Queen of PTSD. She would never wish that terror on anyone, let alone the woman she held closest to her heart. She wished she could swoop her up and carry her far away from her distress. Unfortunately, she couldn't. But she could sit with her until it was over.

She continued to draw circles on her back and whisper soothing hushes in her ear. Her other hand stroked gentle paths up and down the smaller woman's arm, careful to avoid her thick bandages. They sat for several minutes, Maura's breathing becoming steadier and her sobs less frequent as time rolled on.

"I'm sorry..." Maura finally whispered under her breath, barely audible.

"Please don't apologize. There's nothing to be sorry about, Maur," Jane replied.

"I suddenly became very overwhelmed."

"It happens to the best of us. Do you want to talk about it?"

Maura paused, thinking.

"I was so scared... When I stepped off that mat, I felt the click under my heel. And then I saw the expressions on all your faces… I thought I was about to die."

"But you didn't."

"Because of you," Maura said, meeting the taller woman's gaze. "It's astounding that we both walked away from that blast unscathed. What would I do without you, Jane?"

Another tear streaked a path down her soft cheeks, but Jane's thumb was quick to capture it.

"You don't have to worry about that, ever. We're both here, and we're both very much alive. I'm not going anywhere, Maura."

"I've been trying so hard to be strong, for you and for everyone else. But whenever I think about this afternoon, I find it impossible to maintain a steady heart rhythm."

Jane's eyes softened. She reached out and grabbed Maura's hands in her own, stroking the back of her hands with her thumbs.

"Hey, listen, you don't have to be strong for anyone, okay? Especially not me. You don't ever have to pretend to be anything for me."

Jane admired the small smile that graced Maura's lips in the dim moonlight.

"How do you always know exactly what to say?" Maura whispered.

"It's a natural born skill that's been passed down for generations in my family. Unfortunately, it skipped a generation with my Ma." The blonde at her side let out a soft chuckle. "When I was a little girl, I was afraid to stay the night away from home. When we'd stay at our grandma's house, I would cry and cry in the middle of the night, because I thought there were monsters in the closet. And every time, my grandma would come into my room and sit next to me on the bed, and she'd wrap my little body up in her arms," Jane simulated the action, wrapping one long arm around Maura's shoulder, while the other found its place around her petite stomach, "and she'd say, 'Janie, I have never met a girl as brave as you, but even the bravest people get scared sometimes. Those monsters, they can't hurt you, because you won't let them. And as scared as you are of them, they're even more afraid of you, because they know how strong and brave you truly are. They know they can't beat you. And even if they could, I'd be right behind you, ready to take them all on.'"

Maura leaned in to Jane's warm embrace, her head resting under the other woman's chin.

"That is very sweet of her."

"Well, Maura, you're the bravest, strongest woman I've ever met, but it's okay not to feel so strong sometimes. And when those times come, I'll be here to save you."

Maura sniffled as she clung tightly to the lean arm wrapped around her core.

"You've already saved me so many times. From Marino, Hoyt, Moore, Dennis… and now today. You could have been killed, Jane."

"Has that ever stopped me before?" Jane chuckled softly. "You're right. I may have made a rash decision, but if you were in danger, I'd make the same choice again and again. But I can save you in more ways than just physically, Maur. I can save you here, too," she retracted her arm from around the smaller woman's shoulder to gently tap the top of Maura's head, resting her hand in the silky, blonde locks afterward, "if you'll let me."

"You do, Jane, all the time. I promise."

"Well, good. I owe it to you, because you save me, too, every day. In more ways than you know."

The women's invigorating intimacy was beginning to shroud the M.E.'s common sense. Jane's scent was intoxicating, making Maura nearly dizzy with desire. The detective's hand in her hair and her arm around her stomach was enveloping the usually logical doctor and rendering her incapable of any pragmatism.

Maura lifted her head slowly, lips brushing past Jane's collarbone slightly as they came to hover centimeters from her neck. The words came tumbling out before she could stop them.

"Jane," she whispered, trailing goosebumps across Jane's skin with her gentle breath, "I love you."

Jane's breath hitched as Maura placed a soft yet deliberate kiss on the brunette's taut neck, then another on her mandible. Her lips remained in place on Jane's jaw.

Jane's head was spinning. She had heard those words from Maura more times than she could count, only this was different. The intimacy of the situation, the unadulterated fervor in the woman's tone, made it feel like she was hearing those words for the very first time. Their meaning was different than any time before. She'd spent years wondering what they would sound like coming from her best friend's mouth, yet now that they were laid out, lingering in front of her, she found herself afraid to grasp onto them. Like if she did, they'd vanish in her grip.

"Maur... You went through a lot today. I know you're feeling overwhelmed -"

"No, Jane. You're correct, we both had an overwhelming day, but that does not affect my feelings for you." Maura lifted her head to meet Jane's gaze. "I've felt this way for a very long time. I'm lying to myself, to you, and to the rest of the world every day when I say that you're only my friend. You're so much more than that to me."

"Maura..."

Jane was unable to produce any sensible response. Her mind had turned to overdrive, generating so many rapid thoughts she was unable to grasp onto a single notion. Her thoughts were racing, yet her mind was blank. She stared darkly at the vulnerable pair of hazel eyes in front of her. Her gaze darted down toward the soft, pink lips that had seared her neck only seconds before. Her own lips screamed at her to kiss them. Kiss them quickly, before her brain could catch up and ruin her chance. She licked her lips hungrily.

"Maura? Honey, are you out here?"

Jane jerked back abruptly as though she'd been burned. Reality came barreling down on top of her and made her feel like she was sinking. She was about to kiss another man's woman. Her _best friend_. Her best friend who, just moments before, had confessed she was _in love_ with her. A day ago, she would have sworn on her life that her visceral attraction to the doctor was completely one-sided. How had everything changed so dramatically in only a few minutes?

She glanced at Maura, whose gaze remained fixed on her own, and was unable to read her expression. Apprehension? Disappointment? Hunger?

Maura took a quick moment to compose herself before calling out, "Over here."

Both women watched as a broad-shouldered figure made its way across the dark patio.

"There you are! We thought you ran out on your own dinner!" Jack exclaimed. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the events that transpired this afternoon. Jane was helping me process some things."

Jane's head was cast downward. She was sure that if she looked at Jack, he'd see the feral look in her eyes and know exactly what had happened. He'd know that if he had walked out five seconds later, he would have found his girlfriend underneath her on the lounge chair with her tongue jammed down the smaller woman's throat.

"Well, I think they're about to call it a night inside. Maybe we can get you in a bath and help you relax." Jack reached out an arm to help Maura stand. The same arm came to wrap around her waist. Maura tensed under his touch as she tried to will Jane to look at her, say something, do _anything_.

"Thanks for taking care of her, Jane," Jack continued. "She's very lucky to have you."

Jane finally lifted her head, still refusing to make eye contact with either half of the couple standing in front of her. She stared out at the long expanse of green grass beyond them, feigning her best grin, which was tight-lipped at best.

"Anytime." She quickly rose from her spot on the bench. "I'm feeling pretty beat as well; I think I'll probably head out too."

Jane turned to leave without giving either party a chance to respond. She made her way to the back door as quickly as possible, relieved to put a physical barrier between her and the last fifteen minutes of her life.

"There you are, Janie! We thought you ran out without saying goodbye!" Jane's mother was on her immediately, showering her face in unwanted kisses. "Oh, my baby girl. I'm so happy you're okay."

Jane had already endured the deep-seated frustration her mother expressed every time she had a close call on the job. Stage two was relief. As irritating as it became, she'd be lying if she said she didn't understand. Earlier that day, Jane had been half-tempted to swing Maura up into her arms and shower her from head to toe in kisses, she had been so relieved. But Jane could not stay any longer. If she was still there when Jack and Maura came inside, she was sure she would combust on the spot.

She quickly said her goodbyes to her family and made her abrupt departure. Maura returned to her living room only seconds after Jane's car drove off into the moonlight. She scanned the room for the woman who was no longer there, and her heart fell when Angela informed her she had gone home.

 _I ruined everything_ , Maura thought dejectedly.

* * *

 _A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated! There will be one more chapter posted tomorrow. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Here's the last chapter! Thanks again everyone for reading/reviewing/following/favoriting! It means so much to me! Hope you enjoy the final chapter. :)_

* * *

 _"Jane," she whispered, trailing goosebumps across Jane's skin with her gentle breath, "I love you."_

Why? Why did Maura love her? She wasn't some hoity-toity wine connoisseur, or heir to her daddy's three-billion-dollar fortune. She wasn't some high-class art snob who attended all the reputable galas around Boston, nor was she some renowned scientific genius. She certainly was not a handsome, geeky college professor with a degree in charming the pants off people. She had nothing to give except her loyalty and her impeccable ability to offer a snarky comment at the most wildly inappropriate times. Why did Maura Isles love her?

Jane pondered the question relentlessly as she sat in her driver's seat staring aimlessly around the dark neighborhood. She peered three houses down at Jack's Subaru Outback still parked in the driveway. She glanced at her radio clock. 12:00 AM. The living room light was still on, but surely they were asleep by now. Curled up together between satin sheets. Skin on skin. Breath on breath. The thought made her stomach churn. That should be her.

She would love to say that she had done the noble thing by not pouncing on another man's woman, but that wasn't true; she hadn't done it nobly. Truthfully, Jack's presence was the furthest thing from her mind until he had come outside and scared her out of her own skin. In that moment, there was only her and Maura and those three fleeting words drifting off into the brisk, evening breeze. The truth was, she had been a coward. She had wanted nothing more than to entangle her fingers in those wavy, blonde curls on the back of her scalp and engross her in kisses and love and promise. But instead, she had run.

She had been driving since she'd left, burning through half a tank of gas in three hours. As exhausted and sore as she was, something inside of her would not allow her to go home. She was pulling back into Maura's neighborhood before her conscious mind was aware of her actions. What the hell was her game plan?

It's not like she was expecting Jack to be gone; they'd been spending most their nights together recently. Perhaps because of Maura's confession, Jane thought she might send him home early. Who professes their love for one person and then goes to bed with someone else? She must have been correct in her assumption that Maura was only being vulnerable. She didn't really love her. How could she?

Jane was about to pull out of the neighborhood when the front door of Maura's house glided open. She could make out the silhouette of a man emerging from the bright corridor. Jane's heart skipped a beat as she straightened up in her seat to get a better look. He had already made his departure down the patio steps when a second figure appeared in the doorway. This silhouette was smaller, daintier, and Jane could spot the silky waves cascading down the figure's shoulders. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she could see that both parties were still wearing the same clothes from earlier that day. She felt uneasy, like some creepy voyeur, as she watched the unknowing couple in the distance, but she could not peel her eyes away.

They hardly seemed like a couple at the moment. At least, not the same couple who, only days earlier, could not keep their hands off each other. Now they seemed like friendly acquaintances at best. Jack turned to face Maura, who was still standing in the doorway, halfway inside the house. Jane watched as Jack gave Maura a tight-lipped grin that was clearly forced. He gave her a slight wave, which was really only a feeble swish of his arm, and then he departed to his car. Jane watched as he entered his vehicle and heard his engine roar to life. He was gone in less than a minute. She glanced at Maura, who was retreating into the house.

She looked worn out. Her eyes were red and puffy; she had clearly been crying. Again. Jane's heart broke for the umpteenth time that day at the sight of Maura in any sort of pain. A visceral reaction kicked in then and suddenly she was outside of her car and running toward Maura's front door. It felt eerily similar to earlier that day, only instead of a physical danger brooding on the horizon, there was only emotional danger. She couldn't decide which was more terrifying. She wasn't even sure what she was going to say when Maura opened the door. She just knew that the thought of Maura all alone with no one to comfort her made her heart wrench in a way she never thought possible, as if someone was grabbing her heart with both hands and wringing it out over the kitchen sink.

Jane loved her. She loved her so damn much. No one else could make her heart beat out of her chest with a simple glance. No one could drive her crazy the way that Maura did. Sometimes Jane thought she belonged in a mental ward when Maura was around. She drove her crazy with love, passion, jealousy, and longing. She made her do things the detective would never dream of in her right mind. Jane was sure she would not survive another day without Maura's sweet scent, touch, and soul enveloping her. Finally.

She sprinted up the front porch steps.

* * *

Maura felt a fresh set of tears spring to her eyes. She did the right thing. She did the right thing.

The words repeated in her head like a mantra in her head.

She did the right thing.

Jack had taken the news better than she'd anticipated. He truly was an honorable man. Honest, caring, devoted. Maybe at another point in her life, he would have been perfect for her. Maybe in a parallel universe where Jane and her had never crossed paths, she could have been truly happy with Jack. But now, everyone seemed pale and dreary in comparison to Jane's bright and colorful aura that shone in her mind all day and night. She desperately hoped she hadn't ruined things between them.

She had acted impulsively, which was something she was not used to. Since she was a child, she had always been the pragmatic type, never quick to rush into any situation without first considering all the pros and cons. It had felt like a separate entity had uttered those three words earlier that evening. She had heard them - felt them - stumble out from behind her lips, yet she'd had no deliberation prior to their departure. They had shocked her as much as they'd shocked Jane. If only there was a way to scoop them up and swallow them back down. She had never felt so out of control.

A rapid knock at the door broke her from her reverie. What else could possibly lie beyond that door to wreak havoc on her day? Her slippered feet pitter-pattered across the hardwood floor as she heaved a heavy sigh. She opened the door cautiously, stopping while it was only ajar to peek out. Her eyebrows immediately furrowed as she opened the door fully.

"Jane?"

Jane glanced down at Maura's succulent lips, then back up quickly. The vehemence Maura found in Jane's gaze nearly frightened her. Her eyes bore into Maura's like a lion stalking its prey, ready to pounce.

"Are you okay, Jane?"

Jane ignored the smaller woman's question, asking her own instead.

"Where did Jack go?" Her tone was deep and scratchy.

"He went home. Have you been sitting outside?"

Jane nodded briefly, but didn't elaborate.

"Why did you look so upset?"

Maura hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer. There were a multitude of reasons she was upset at the moment. She went with the most straightforward answer.

"I called things off with him."

If Jane was in any other state of mind, she would have been jumping up and down and pumping her fists in the air. She would be screaming for joy and doing her best rendition of a happy dance. Instead, she only felt her intense desire for the woman in front of her growing. Her chest was beginning to ache with longing, or maybe a heart attack – in that moment, she imagined they felt jarringly similar.

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why,' Jane? Clearly I was leading him on."

Jane took a sudden step forward through the doorway. Maura stayed planted mere inches in front of her, their locked gaze never wavering. She could see the desperation in her friend's features. What answers was she searching for?

"Did you mean it?" the brunette asked throatily.

"Did I mean what?"

"What you said to me. Earlier."

The flicker of self-doubt that etched its way across the detective's face made Maura's heart ping with empathy. Her features softened.

"Of course I did, Jane. I may have said it impetuously tonight, but I've thought it a hundred times."

Jane sighed, her expression unreadable by the small woman in front of her. She looked… anguished? Mad? Upset? _Desperate?_

"Did I ruin our friendship?" Maura asked softly, barely audible.

Jane's intensity faltered for just a moment, replaced by compassion and tenderness.

"What? No… No! Maura, you could never do anything to ruin our friendship. This whole mess, it's… it's my fault."

Maura's quizzical eyes urged Jane to continue. The detective's eyes grew impossibly darker.

"Look, for you, I can run head first toward a detonated bomb, or I can shoot myself in the stomach. Hell, I can take on the person I fear most on this earth to save you, Maur, but the truth is, I can't save myself. For whatever reason – because I feel I don't deserve it, o-or I'm not good enough – for whatever reason, I refuse to let myself be happy. But if you truly love me the way that you say you do, then there must be something in me that's worth saving."

The detective's gaze dropped to Maura's soft, delicate lips. Her neck still burned, branded by the medical examiner's sweet kiss. She would proudly wear this woman everywhere. Her neck, her arm, her heart.

Maura was unable to breath properly under Jane's ardent examination. She felt as though she was being read like a complex book.

"Jane, what are you–"

Maura was unable to finish her sentence as she was abruptly cut off by a pair of ferocious lips crashing down upon her own. She whimpered in surprise, nearly toppling backwards from the force of the taller woman. Jane's hands swiftly drew themselves around her waist, holding her firmly in place. Maura quickly regained her composure, moving her lips to match the rhythm Jane had created. Their lips moved fluidly with one another's, as though they'd been practicing for years. Maura parted her lips expectantly, and that was all the invitation Jane needed to begin her exploration of the smaller woman's mouth.

When their tongues collided, Jane felt sparks erupt in her belly. She pulled the doctor even tighter against her, relishing the feeling of Maura's curves against her own. Maura moaned against her mouth, and Jane wondered hungrily what other noises she could emit from her friend.

"Jane…" the blonde whispered between kisses.

"Mmm, Maura."

"Jane… the… door…."

Jane abruptly cut off her ministrations, turning her head to view the wide-open door they were standing in. She chuckled wildly, wondering how many people had just gotten a free show.

"Well, I guess there's no need to come out to your neighbors now."

"I think I just did," Maura laughed along.

Jane swung the door shut, turning once again to meet her best friend.

"How did I ever go so long without kissing you?" she breathed.

"It doesn't matter now."

Jane closed the distance between them once again, taking Maura's cheeks in her palms.

"I love you, Maura Isles. I'm sorry I'm an idiot and a coward. I'm sorry it took me so long to—"

"Jane, shh," Maura hushed her. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"I love you."

Maura slowly ran her index finger up Jane's neck, across her cheek, and then her lips. Jane's breath hitched. She felt suddenly self-conscious under Maura's meticulous inspection.

"I love you, too, Jane."

Jane's eyes swept shut as she breathed in those three beautiful words. How sweet they sounded falling from the medical examiner's lips.

She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, placing a chaste kiss on top of her wavy hair. Maura fell easily into the warm embrace, feeling safer than she had all day. She placed her head against her tall friend's chest and closed her eyes, letting herself fall into serenity. Seconds stretched to minutes as both women stood, lost in their own thoughts.

A car door slamming outside the window broke both women from their tranquility. Maura jumped, instantly on edge again. Jane scurried to the window, glancing out quickly.

"It's just your neighbor," she said, closing the distance between Maura and herself once again. She ran a soothing hand through Maura's curls. "It's okay."

"It's been a long day," Maura stated, clutching her detective tightly.

"I know, Maur."

"How do you think your family will react when they find out about us?"

"Hmm," Jane pondered. She hadn't given that question much consideration. In fact, she hadn't contemplated anything that night beyond her need for Maura. "Well, my family already loves you. And Ma has always wanted me to be with a doctor. It might not be what they had in mind when they started calling you family, but I think they'll be okay with it. In fact, I think they'll be more than okay with it. They just want to see both of us happy."

"Are you happy?"

Jane paused.

"If you had asked me that earlier tonight, my answer would have been drastically different. But I can honestly say that right now, I'm over the moon, Maura."

Maura hugged Jane tighter.

"Me too."

Maura felt a finger rest against her mandible, gently pulling her face upward. She complied, lifting her head to meet Jane's gaze. In her eyes, she found the passion and love she'd only dreamed of for years. She let it overwhelm her, cascading down her spine like a waterfall.

This time it was her turn to capture the dark-haired woman's soft lips. She wound her arms tightly around Jane's neck as their mouths crashed together. Before she knew it, she was being lifted off the ground by a pair of strong arms. She quickly adjusted, locking her legs around the detective's lean waist. Then her back was colliding with the wall, and Jane's ravenous mouth was devouring her neck. Maura gasped. Jane's curvy hips rocked into Maura's. Her hands on Maura's bottom kept the smaller woman pinned against the wall.

The doctor's hands slid up Jane's shirt. Her palms on top of Jane's flat, taut abdominals sent a heat radiating through the detective's entire being. She focused her mouth back on Maura's, running her tongue along Maura's bottom lip before seeking out the other woman's tongue. She continued her ministrations on the lean woman wrapped around her waist until she couldn't stand it anymore.

She lifted Maura from the wall, causing her to gasp in surprise. She stared down at her detective with dark, lustful orbs. The expression alone made Jane's nerves ache with desire. She pondered briefly how they would ever get any work done together again. This image of the ME, disheveled and wanton in her arms, would forever be burned in the forefront of her mind.

She carried them up the stairs and into Maura's bedroom, depositing the small woman on the foot of the bed. Maura instantly yawned despite herself. It was then that Jane took notice of the clock. 12:50 AM.

Jane stepped back from Maura, surveying her, then the bed. She thought of all the occurrences that had led them to where they were now. She thought of Maura's bed, and how just that morning, she had woken up in it with Jack. She thought about all the conversations they had yet to have regarding their new relationship. She thought of how, in just a few hours, they'd be waking up to return to another long and exhausting day of chasing a criminal who wanted them dead. Her body ached at just the thought of getting up in the morning.

"Is something wrong, Jane?" came the voice of her patient friend, still sitting on the edge of the bed.

Jane surrendered to the nagging voices in her mind.

"This doesn't feel quite right."

Jane watched the pained expression that spread rapidly across the doctor's features.

"No, no, not us. You feel... incredible," she quickly clarified, and Maura's features softened again. "It's just... this morning, you woke up committed to someone else. We both almost died at work. To say today was a disaster would be a huge understatement. When we do... this," she gestured between the two of them, "I want it to be perfect. I don't want anyone else, or any remnants of the day, looming over us. So… I think we should wait. For when it's not so late, and we don't have to work in a few hours. And after I've taken you on a proper date. I want it to be as special as it possibly can be." Maura's lack of response made Jane's nerves soar. "Is that okay?"

"I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

"Nah, you're over exaggerating," Jane blushed."

A warm smile spread over Maura's lips.

"You know I don't do that."

Jane smiled infectiously.

"Come on, let's get ready for bed."

"You have pajamas in the top-right dresser drawer," Maura stated plainly as she entered her walk-in closet to retrieve her own pajamas.

Jane giggled.

"Wow, I already have a drawer at your house. We've cleared about three relationship milestones in the first night."

Maura laughed.

"I've never been one for conventional relationships," she called from the closet.

Jane scoffed.

"Don't I know it."

Soon, they were both changed and under the satin sheets, stretching their exhausted muscles. Maura turned her back to Jane to set her alarm, and Jane took the opportunity to wrap her long arms around Maura's lean stomach. Maura melted easily into her, taking hold of her muscular arms and intertwining their smooth legs.

Jane muzzled into the back of her curly hair, whispering, "Remember when we'd wake up like this, and I'd pretend it was an accident?"

"Which time?" Maura giggled.

"Doesn't matter. It was never an accident."

Maura signed contentedly, snuggling her back further into Jane's front.

"You know, if we date publicly, the crass jokes you receive from your peers regarding your sexuality are only going to increase."

"Bring it on," Jane stated proudly. "I'll prop you up on my desk and kiss you from head to toe just so there's no confusion."

"Jane!" Maura chastised, but couldn't contain her laughter.

Jane smiled into Maura's curls, placing a kiss on her occipital.

"Don't worry about work, just worry about getting at least a few hours of sleep before we have to go back there."

"Deal," Maura smiled softly. "I love you, Jane."

"I love you, too, Maura."

Both women closed their eyes, letting sleep wash over them. As Jane drifted into slumber, only one thought crossed her mind:

She felt complete.

* * *

 _A/N: Once again, thanks for reading and thank you to everyone who took the time to review! This was so much fun to write. I'm glad people enjoyed it!_


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